Best Nursing Schools in New Mexico for 2023

Nursing Degrees & Schools / Best Schools New Mexico

New Mexico truly is the Land of Enchantment. The state has magnificent landscapes that invite outdoor adventure and a fascinating history including three UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Its unique blend of Native American, Spanish, Mexican, and Anglo cultures impacts everything from food to architecture, and the residents are constantly hosting amazing celebrations and festivals, including the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.

New Mexico is home to large universities as well as small colleges, and is a fantastic place to pursue a nursing education as well as to settle down. Students at New Mexico’s nursing schools can pursue degrees ranging from entry-level all the way through to studying for a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, and once graduated will be well positioned to earn generous salaries at one of the state’s many hospitals.

New Mexico’s top nursing programs:

University of New Mexico
New Mexico State University
Eastern New Mexico University
New Mexico Highlands University

1. University of New Mexico – Score 72

NCLEX Pass Rate – 100%

Annual In-State Tuition: $10,860

Annual Out-of-State Tuition: $27,166

The University of New Mexico’s nursing school offers five different nursing programs, three of which have been nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report: the MSN program was tied for No. 61 and the DNP program tied for No. 80, while its online nursing program ranked No. 20 out of 179 in Best Online Master’s in Nursing Programs. The school is a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution that takes pride in the diversity of its student body and emphasizes both research and treatment of vulnerable populations. Its signature programs, which have a graduate rate of 52%, aim to educate nursing students to become primary care practitioners, nursing professors, and nursing leaders.

CCNE-accredited programs offered:

BSN
RN-BSN
MSN
DNP
Doctor of Philosophy

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2. New Mexico State University – Score 67

NCLEX Pass Rate – 73.13%

Annual In-State Tuition: $8,409

Annual Out-of-State Tuition: $26,735

New Mexico State University’s nursing program has a 52% graduation rate, and offers both undergraduate and graduate programs. In addition to a traditional four-year BSN there are two separate pathways for students who have a bachelor’s degree in another field who would like to pursue a career in nursing.The graduate-level courses are all delivered fully online. The online MSN program is available on both a full-time and part-time basis, and the online DNP program is available both synchronously and asynchronously to both BSN-degreed nurses who wish to become nurse practitioners and to both APRN and non-APRN MSN-degreed students interested in in earning their clinical doctorate.

The school focuses much of its clinical training on serving the community that lives along the U.S. Mexico Border, and in response to New Mexico hospitals’ critical need for anesthesia providers, the school recently introduced a Nurse Anesthesiology program to its DNP program.

CCNE-accredited programs offered:

BSN
Accelerated BSN Program
MSN (Online)
BSN-DNP (Online)
MSN-DNO (Online)

3. Eastern New Mexico University – Score 60

NCLEX Pass Rate – 96.43%

Annual In-State Tuition: $4,194

Annual Out-of-State Tuition: $6,174

Eastern New Mexico University’s BSN Completion program offers registered nurses the opportunity to earn their BSN. The program is offered 100% online in 8-week courses, and the school reports that 72% of its part-time students complete the program and graduate within an average of 4.4 years, and 100% of students who received their BSN degree during the 2019-2020 academic year were employed as RNs upon graduation.

The school also offers an online Master of Science in Nursing program that allows professional nurses to become nurse educators. The program takes two years or less and prepares graduates to assume the role of nursing instructor in associate and baccalaureate degree nursing programs in the state of New Mexico, as well as to sit for the National League for Nursing Certified Nurse Educator Exam.

ACEN-accredited program offered:

RN-BSN (Online)
MSN (Online)

4. New Mexico Highland University – Score 50

NCLEX Pass Rate – 00.00

Annual In-State Tuition: $2,391

Annual Out-of-State Tuition: $4,815

New Mexico Highlands University offers an online RN-BSN program to registered nurses who are interested in earning their bachelor’s degree in nursing. The program is offered in cooperation with other academic areas with the university so that students can meet their general education core requirements. Practicums are completed in the student’s state of residence. The school has a graduation rate of 39%, and nearly half of its graduates pursue advanced degrees in nursing (i.e., nurse practitioner, nursing education, and nurse midwife).

CCNE-accredited programs offered:

RN-BSN

How to choose the right nursing program

A career in nursing is your golden ticket to the future, but nursing programs are not all alike. Beyond elements like reputation, quality of faculty, and class size, different schools offer different nursing degrees, in different formats. Only you can decide between in-person or online education, whether you’re looking for full-time or part-time education, and even how much you’re willing to spend.

Location

Deciding you want to attend a New Mexico nursing school represents a big start in narrowing your options down, but still leaves you with plenty of options. New Mexico offers urban nursing schools, nursing schools in suburban settings, and nursing schools whose programs are offered exclusively online.

If you’re just looking for academics and your priority is flexibility, then an online program is likely your best choice, but if you’re hoping to establish lifelong friendships among your cohort, you’ll probably be happier with a college that offers you an in-person setting, and possibly one where you live on campus. If you are a working nurse then your decision will be colored by your commuting time.

Tuition

College tuitions are on the rise all over the country. Whether you are entering a four-year residential BSN program or you’re a working registered nurse looking to add to your education and advance your career, cost will be a consideration. When choosing, look at both the quoted tuition and the availability of scholarships, grants, and financial aid.

NCLEX pass rate

The National Council Licensure Examination, or NCLEX, is arguably the most important examination that a nursing school graduation will ever take. It is what allows you to obtain your license as a registered nurse and to begin actually working in your chosen career. Every accredited nursing program should adequately prepare you to pass the NCLEX, but some do a better job than others. When choosing between schools, taking note of their NCLEX pass rate can serve as a critical gauge of whether a school provides you with the tools you need to move forward with confidence.

Programs offered

Some nursing schools strictly offer traditional nursing programs, designed to guide high school graduates through an undergraduate program that will end with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Others only offer online programs for those who are already registered nurses and who want their bachelor’s degree, while others offer a full menu of nursing degrees ranging from BSN through DPN. Each of these programs fills specific needs, but those needs may not be yours! Before you set your heart on a particular school, make sure that it offers the degree program that fits where you are on your educational path.

Graduation rate

Graduation rates are generally offered as a representation of a school’s accountability to its students, but these statistics can be misleading. Not all students follow traditional four-year paths. Many take longer to complete a program or end up having to leave before completion due to social, family, or work issues. Though a school’s graduation rate is a consideration, it tends to lose its value as its program offerings and student body vary.

Next steps

Doing your due diligence about the best New Mexico nursing program is a perfect starting point for your educational journey. Of course, getting from here to there is going to take more than doing the research, making a choice, and then pinning your hopes on your favorite program. The application process can be arduous, and requires organization and focus. You’ll need to keep track of deadlines, gather all the required documents, and in some cases complete prerequisite courses in order to qualify for the program to which you’re applying.

There are financial considerations to attend to as well: You may need to fill out financial aid applications, search for scholarships and grants, or contact the program’s financial aid office. The work that you put in may feel like a full-time job, but remember that it’s all about the end result, and well worth the time and effort.

Once you’ve completed your nursing program, the credentials and skills that you’ve added will significantly add to your value as a nurse. If you want to leverage your education into a new position, Incredible Health can provide you with the resources you need. Need to know about New Mexico’s licensing requirements or continuing education requirements? We’re here with all the answers, and so are our community of local nurses who are happy to fill you in on all the other important information you need to know.